


Behind The Gate

by GreenFish



Category: BoJack Horseman
Genre: Anthropomorphic, F/M, Yuletide 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 09:00:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2686934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenFish/pseuds/GreenFish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Fall of 2013, the production company backing the movie filming of Secretariat hired a small documentary crew to film a short ‘behind the scenes’ look at the movie, including interviews with the cast and crew, which was slated to appear on the DVD extras for the movie.  Due to various production delays, the movie has yet to be completed.  However, thanks to a confidential source, <i>Them Weekly</i> has received an transcript excerpt from that documentary, which will be published in <i>this week’s issue,</i> exclusively.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Behind The Gate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tzy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tzy/gifts).



> This story is in transcript format, as it is a transcript of a documentary that is yet to be released. I hope this fulfills what tzy was looking for. I loved getting this as a prompt! There are a few script notes, mainly "int." just refers to "interior" and "O.C." refers to off-camera. Other than that, it's pretty straightforward but leave me a comment if you have any other questions. Comments are always appreciated! Happy holidays!

**[STOCK FOOTAGE MONTAGE OF “SECRETARIAT” MOVIE]**

**VO of NARRATOR and INTERVIEWER, KELLY LEWIS:**

I was hired to do a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Secretariat, who, in 1973, was the first American horse to ever win the Triple Crown in twenty-five years, setting time records in all three events in the series - the Belmont Stakes, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.  Secretariat had a short but storied life, taking his first Triple Crown after only two years on the professional circuit.  He retired that year, following a public investigation by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, or NTRA, of allegations of illegal betting, and doping, the latter of which was never _officially_ confirmed or denied by the NTRA.

After retiring at the age of twenty-two, Secretariat married and divorced within six months, but allegedly sired over two hundred mares and half-mares during his life.  At the young age of twenty-two, Secretariat committed suicide by jumping off the JFK Memorial Bridge on the Indiana-Kentucky border, leading into Louisville. 

I interviewed a large number of the cast of crew for this project; in depth: the director KESLEY JANNINGS, the star of the movie; playing Secretariat, 90s TV star BOJACK HORSEMAN; the author of Secretariat’s biography and character consultant, DIANE NGUYEN, who, notably, was _also_ the writer of Bojack Horseman’s recent best-selling biography; PIGRON DIAZ, who plays Secretariat’s last and final lover, the woman said to bring him to suicide, and LENNY TURTLETAUB, the executive producer for the movie.

 **[INT. TRAILER w/ BOJACK HORSEMAN on trailer couch]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

You have said in past interviews that your dream role was to play Secretariat.  Why? 

 **HORSEMAN:**  

Secretariat had always been a role model of mine.  When I was nine, I wrote a letter to him which was read aloud on The Dick Cavett show -- 

 **[INSERT FOOTAGE OF THE DICK CAVETT SHOW INTERVIEW]**  

 **[CUT TO: INT. TRAILER w/ HORSEMAN]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Yes, that was a very revealing interview, both for you, as a child, and for Secretariat.  Even at the height of his career, he was already denying allegations of illegal betting -- 

**HORSEMAN:**

They were never proven!  Listen, lady.  Secretariat set time records that have only just been topped in the last five years.  He was an unprecedented athlete and was brought down by a series of bad influences in his post-racing life…  You have to realize, as a young kid, there weren’t any other American horse athletes someone like me could look up to.  Secretariat was like … the Michael Jordache of his time -- 

 **[CUT TO: BRIEF MONTAGE OF MICHAEL JORDACHE PLAYOFF FOOTAGE]**  

**LEWIS [V.O.]:**

Michael Jordache, the first horse to single-handedly score more than eighty points in a playoff game in the NBA, became a basketball legend when he led the Chicago Bulls to four playoff championships in a row from 1990-1994. 

 **[CUT TO: INT. TRAILER w/ HORSEMAN]**  

**HORSEMAN:**

I mean, I didn’t have a lot of role models at the time, so watching Secretariat win the Triple Crown Trophy that year, it changed my life. 

 **[CUT TO: INT. MOVIE SET w/ DIANE NGUYEN on set chair]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

You were hired as a character consultant for this movie, because you wrote the biography on Secretariat, over thirty years after his death, in 2010.  Why then? 

**NGUYEN:**

First of all, I considered it a tragedy and an oversight that almost thirty years had gone by and a book hadn’t been written about the legendary racehorse.   But I also, as a biographer, take personal interest in complex individuals who cannot be classified as “just good” or “just evil.”  Everyone is a sum total of the parts that make them up, and while our accomplishments may be great, we are also defined by the tragedies and mistakes that commit as well. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Interesting that you bring that up, as the author of the biography of the _star_ of this film as well, BoJack Horseman.  Many have called BoJack a fallen hero: once a beloved television star from the 90s, he hasn’t done anything notable career-wise since then, until your book became a best-seller, winning Horseman a Golden Globe, and revealing a lot of flaws in his true character. 

**NGUYEN:**

BoJack was certainly an interesting study, because, much like Secretariat, he was largely neglected as a child, always having to fend for attention. It was that _need_ for attention that brought on this _want_ for performance - a desire to be validated.  For Secretariat, it was his athleticism that brought him fame, but Bojack’s talent was obviously in acting, and that’s where he excelled, and later stalled, in life. 

**LEWIS [O.C]:**

So what do you think about the criticism that BoJack is too old for the part?  Already preliminary reports are calling him “second-rate” and “washed up,” and are questioning how he could possibly get in shape to play a _twenty-two year old_ racehorse. 

**NGUYEN:**

Obviously, this is Hollywoo, so it’s an _interpretation_ , not a documentary [laughs], but I have personally seen how hard BoJack prepared for this role, and how much it meant to him; I have faith that he can pull it off. 

 **[CUT TO: INT.  MOVIE SET w/ KESLEY JANNINGS in Director’s Chair]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

It’s been said that you made a controversial move, casting aging television actor BoJack Horseman in the role of a twenty-two year old Secretariat, who was originally going to be portrayed by Andrew Garfield, a much more age-appropriate actor.  The casting decision happened after Garfield dropped out due to an accident? 

**JANNINGS:**

Yes.  Garfield had been our first choice, but honestly, I have no regrets in going with BoJack for this role, even with the age difference.  Obviously, we had to alter a few details, and it’s more of an _interpretation_ than a strict biographical work, but we’re going for emotional impact more than anything else. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

But you had to have known that BoJack was going to be a risky choice.  He’d only done television work up to that point.   There was that biopic he was slated to star in about Mr. Peanutbutter, directed by Quentin Tarantula, but that project evolved into _Peanutbutter Procured Snacks_ , a bi-monthly service similar to BirchBox-- 

**JANNINGS:**

I know, it’s _genius_ , isn’t it?  My last box was amazing, I’m still trying to figure out how to get a hold of those rosemary-garlic water crackers from it… they were unbelievable, but I can’t find them anywhere. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Yes - they were.  But still - it had to be a huge risk on your part, bringing on this aging, now-controversial actor to play such an athletic, yet emotional role.

**JANNINGS:**

I had the same feeling you did, at first.  I hadn’t read his biography at the time when he auditioned, but Turtletaub, from working with him on the Tarantula project, felt like he owed BoJack a favor and let him come in for an audition.  By the time we auditioned him, we had already been through ten other disastrous reads and had already been pulling for Garfield, anyway; we just didn’t think we could get him. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Which, you almost did… 

**JANNINGS:**

Yeah.  It’s really too bad about that store accident.  [sighs]  But, in all honesty, BoJack’s cold read was amazing; he really blew us all away with the depth of his emotion.  For a sitcom actor to bring that much life … well, I can say we definitely didn’t expect it. 

 **[CUT TO INT. NEW LIFE CINEMA OFFICES w/ LENNY TURTLETAUB at his desk]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

New Life Cinema had bought the rights to the Secretariat story almost twenty-five years ago.  What took the studio so long to act on it? 

**TURTLETAUB:**

Until the biography was published in 2010, no one had really heard of Secretariat - unless you were an aging Southern hippie like me [coughs, laughs].  I mean, I’m not _really_ an aging hippie, but, well … _anyway_.  That brought new life into this project that we had shelved for _years_ , and then it just took us that much longer to put together a director and cast.  We originally wanted Andrew Garfield to start alongside Pigmon --- it was really too bad, about that accident.  But, yeah, I owed BoJack a favor after that Mr. Peanutbutter movie concept evolved, so we let him audition, on a whim.  I never expected he’d actually be _good_.

But that’s the funny thing about Hollywoo -- you just never know, and you’re constantly being surprised by the talent of these actors.   

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Obviously, this was a very personal role for Horseman. 

**TURTLETAUB:**

Oh yeah, BoJack had a hard-on -- can I say that? -- um, just cut that line out.  [clears throat]  BoJack definitely had a _marked interest_ in the character, being that Secretariat had been an inspiration for him as a child.  Plus, he surprised everyone by really stepping up to the plate and getting into such good shape for the role.  No one expected him to go as far as he did. 

 **[CUT TO: INT. MOVIE SET w/ KASEY JANNINGS in Director’s Chair]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Maybe too far?  There’s been talk that your star may have gotten involved in some steroid abuse, in training and bulking up for the role.   

**[CUT TO:  FOOTAGE FROM TMZ SHOWING HORSEMAN BEATING UP A PIGEON PAPARAZZI]**

**JANNINGS:**

That’s all just _speculation_ , but there’s no _truth_ to that.  BoJack was just stressed out from working so hard - he’s not twenty anymore, but you wouldn’t know it, would you? [laughs] 

 **[CUT TO:  INT.  TRAILER w/ PIGMON DIAZ in chair]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

There have been rumors of you and your co-star, BoJack, becoming very close on this set.  Maybe more than just co-workers? 

**DIAZ:**

[giggles]  BoJack is a sweetheart and a professional.  We’ve had to work a lot of hours together, and of _course_ , when you spend that much time with someone, you’re bound to become close to them.  It’s just part of being in the business. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

There’s also been reports of police being called to the set due to some scuffles between members of the cast.   Is it possible there’s some character bleed? 

**DIAZ:**

OK.  Here’s what you have to know about me.  I come from the Method school of acting.  So when I take on a character, I take on everything about her.  I live her life the way she would live it.  I do things the way she would do it.  In fact, it’s literally _painful_ for me to not be in character right now.  Can you excuse me for a second?  [dials cell phone]  Yeah?  Kelsey?  I’m not coming to set today.  No, I’m not feeling my character.  I don’t _care_ that I’m under contract.  I just…  no.  Go _fuck_ yourself.  [hangs up]   Huh.  I can feel it starting to come back now.  Hmm.  [nods] 

 **[CUT TO:  INT. SET w/ DIANE NGUYEN on set chair]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

How do you feel about Pigmon Diaz’s portrayal of Penny Sunset, Secretariat's last and final lover, the one said to almost force him to suicide? 

**NGUYEN:**

[rolls eyes]  Pigmon?  Um.  She … takes her roles very seriously, apparently.  So, um. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

There have been rumors of BoJack and Pigmon being involved in real life as well as in character.  As a character consultant, how do you think that works for character development?  Does it seem to help it, or impede it? 

**NGUYEN:**

I honestly would rather not comment on BoJack’s personal life.  I was hired solely as a character consultant, and as _characters_ , they seem to be … accurate. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

But obviously you know BoJack very well in real life; having worked with him every day for months while writing his biography.  You’re also married to his best friend in real life, Mr. Peanutbutter. 

**NGUYEN:**

I don’t know what this has to do with anything … and, um.  I don’t know if I’d call BoJack and Mr. Peanutbutter _best friends_ , exactly, but … 

 **[CUT TO: INT. TRAILER w/ Horseman sitting on couch]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

How has it been working with Diane Nguyen on his film?  You two seem to have a close personal relationship, after she wrote your biography. 

**HORSEMAN:**

What’s _that_ supposed to mean?   

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

I just mean that … her biographical portrayal of you was, at times, very critical, but also realistic and gave credit where credit was due.  It is also to be noted that she is married to your best friend, Mr. Peanutbutter -- 

**HORSEMAN:**

[cuts in]  I wouldn’t call Mr. Peanutbutter my _best friend_.  More like my rival, or _nemesis_ , probably… 

**LEWIS [O.C.]**

OK.  So… it must be a little awkward at times, then, to work together --? 

**HORSEMAN:**

No, no, no, no, no, _no_.  I mean.  Diane and I are close friends.  Yeah, the book at times, may have, um, _exaggerated_ some of my less-than-perfect moments, but, you know -- 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Are you saying she didn’t always tell the truth? 

 **[CUT TO:  INT. MOVIE SET w/ DIANE NGUYEN at set chair]**  

**NGUYEN:**

[frowns]  Everything I wrote in that book was one-hundred percent _true_. 

 **[CUT TO: INT. TRAILER w/ HORSEMAN lying on couch]**  

**HORSEMAN:**

She _said_ that?  [sits up]  Oh, it’s _on_.

 **[CUT TO:  INT. MOVIE SET w/ NGUYEN in set chair]**  

[HORSEMAN storms up to where NGUYEN is sitting, making handwritten notes in a small vinyl-bound notebook] 

 **HORSEMAN:**  

You have a lot of nerve, Diane! 

**NGUYEN:**

Excuse me? 

**HORSEMAN:**

_Nothing_ you wrote in that biography was exaggerated? 

**NGUYEN:**

I’m assuming, since you’ve probably read _one_ book in your life, you’re referring to your own biography. 

**HORSEMAN:**

[sputters] I -- _I_ read books! 

**NGUYEN:**

And _yes_ , that’s exactly what I was saying.

 **HORSEMAN:**  
OK, _really_?  [pulls phone out]  You really want to tell me … [taps phone several times]  … that _this_ is all true: [reading aloud] ‘One day when we are out to lunch at an over-priced Los Angeles-area sushi bar, BoJack is approached by a young fan.  By the end of the encounter, he has propositioned her and she ends up pleasuring him in the backseat of his car, with me left to awkwardly drive them back to BoJack’s estate in the Hills.’   

**NGUYEN:**

Yes. 

**HORSEMAN:**

That sushi bar was _not_ over-priced.  It was within the mean of _any_ typical Los Angeles-area sushi restaurant… 

[NGUYEN sighs loudly] 

**NGUYEN:**

We’re not even going to _talk_ about how I had to watch a girl suck you off? 

**HORSEMAN:**

Well, you _did_ mention I drank like, ten Singapore Slings and two bottles of Sake.  I assume _that_ part’s probably true.   

 **NGUYEN** :

This is what I’m talking about!  You have absolutely no respect for people!  You’re sleeping with your co-star, Pigmon, even though she’s _engaged_ to someone else. 

**HORSEMAN:**

Yeah _, in character._ It’s called _method acting,_ Diane? 

**NGUYEN:**

It’s -- that’s -- _not the point._ The point is that you’re a completely selfish bastard and I _knew_ working on this movie together was going to be a bad idea. 

**HORSEMAN:**

You thought this was a bad idea? 

**NGUYEN:**

[interrupting]  I could be in Nepal right now -- helping give out _food rations_ to orphans and actually making something of myself as a writer -- as opposed to constantly being surrounded by this nonsense -- 

**HORSEMAN:**

This movie is not _nonsense_.  You, of all people should know that.   _You wrote the book on it._  

**NGUYEN:**

It’s not the movie, it’s _you_ , BoJack.  You could be so much more than you are, but instead, you choose to - sleep with engaged actresses, and get drunken blowjobs in the backseat of your car…   

[NGUYEN starts to walk away, but turns around.] 

**NGUYEN:**

And honestly?   _This_ is why I married Mr. Peanutbutter, even after I had started to question it, even when I started to think maybe, just maybe, I was making the wrong decision.    

**HORSEMAN:**

[drawn out] _What--_? 

**NGUYEN:**

Because I knew _you_ could never be that guy. 

[NGUYEN turns and walks off set] 

**HORSEMAN:**

Wait … Diane!

 **[CUT TO:  INT. TRAILER w/ HORSEMAN in bed]**  

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Was there anything ever between you and Diane? 

**HORSEMAN:**

[covering face with pillow]  No. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Do you have feelings for her now?   

[HORSEMAN groans from underneath pillow]

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Did you take this part because of her involvement?  Or do you think that she did? 

**HORSEMAN:**

[sits up slowly]  No, um.  Us working together was actually a coincidence.  [takes swig from bottle of whiskey, next to bed]  But I thought it would be _nice_ , to work together again. I just… forgot that she knows how to push my buttons.  And um.  [groans again]  Ugh.  I can’t do this.   

[HORSEMAN buries himself under his pillow] 

 **[CUT TO:   INT. NEW LIFE CINEMA OFFICES w/ LENNY TURTLETAUB sitting at his desk]**  

**TURTLETAUB:**

So apparently the movie production is completely stalled at this point.  That damn _idiot BoJack_ won’t come out of his trailer, and we’ve already shot too much footage to dump him at this point.  I wanted to see if we could just CGI him in for the rest of the movie - it worked for Michael Jackson, y’know?  - but my investors won’t go for that.

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Do you know why BoJack refuses to work? 

**TURTLETAUB:**

I dunno, fucking actors.  I hate this damn business.  All I know is that it’s costing us ten grand a day every day we’re not working. 

**[CUT TO:  INT. HOTEL ROOM w/ PIGRON DIAZ on bed]**

 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Have you seen BoJack since they shut down production? 

**DIAZ:**

No, and as far as I’m concerned, he can suck my _snout_ , because I’ve completely lost the vision for my character since he locked himself on set.  What an idiot. 

 **[CUT TO:  INT.  MR. PEANUTBUTTER & DIANE NGUYEN’S HOUSE w/ NGUYEN on couch]** 

**NGUYEN:**

Do I feel bad about what I said?  Not really. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Production on the movie has been halted since you had your argument with BoJack.  He hasn’t come into work.  In fact, he hasn’t left his trailer in the last week. 

**NGUYEN:**

BoJack hasn’t --?  Wait.  No.  That’s not my problem. 

[MR. PEANUTBUTTER enters the room, trailed by a trio of cameraman & a boom operator] 

**PEANUTBUTTER:**

Hey, look at that!  We’re like filming twins!  Except that, well - I have more cameras. 

[NGUYEN looks over at him] 

**NGUYEN:**

Hon, I’m in the middle of something right now.   

**PEANUTBUTTER:**

Oh!  Is this for your movie?  Are they interviewing you about _Secretariat?_   I’m filming my reality show, _Peanutbutter and Jelly!_  [he gestures to one of the production assistants to his left]  Her nickname is Jelly, so it names sense!  It’s short for An _-gel-_ ica? 

[PEANUTBUTTER sits down on couch, facing camera] 

**NGUYEN:**

Seriously, now is not a good time. 

**PEANUTBUTTER:**

Why?  How’s the movie going?  I haven’t seen you going to set lately. 

[NGUYEN remains silent] 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Production on the set has halted due to BoJack refusing to come into work.   

**PEANUTBUTTER:**

[laughing] What?  Is he in one of those moods again?  BoJack can be so moody sometimes.  He takes himself so seriously, unlike me.  Seriously, I really try to -- 

[NGUYEN pulls a tennis ball from under the coffee table in front of the couch, and throws it down the hall.  PEANUTBUTTER immediately jumps up, barks, and runs after it.] 

**NGUYEN:**

Sorry about that.  He’s a little - oblivious, sometimes.

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

How did you meet?

**NGUYEN:**

Oh.  Um.  It was a party, I think?  Some mutual friends of ours were throwing this - summer thing, I don’t even know.  I had just moved to Los Angeles and he was one of the first people that talked to me at this thing.  Mr. Peanutbutter just -- he has a way of making people feel at ease.  Um - I’m sorry, am I getting off topic? 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

No, it’s fine, I was just curious.  How did you get involved in writing BoJack’s memoirs? 

**NGUYEN:**

Oh.  Well -- _that_.  I was hired by his publishing company, as a ghostwriter, initially, because he was originally supposed to put out the memoirs as an autobiography, but I found it impossible to keep it in _his_ perspective, after everything I observed. 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

But you two were - or are friends? 

**NGUYEN:**

I guess… we were.  Now?  I don’t know… 

[NGUYEN stops as PEANUTBUTTER comes back with the ball in his mouth and it is a thirty second struggle until he finally lets go and she throws it again, this time down the stairs.] 

**LEWIS [O.C.]**

Do you think you could be?  Again? 

**NGUYEN:**

Oh.  Um, yeah, probably.  I mean, we’ve had trouble before… but, um… can you excuse me, please? 

[NGUYEN leaves the room.  The door closes in the distance.] 

 **[CUT TO:  INT. NEW LIFE CINEMA OFFICES w/ LENNY TURTLETAUB sitting at his desk]**  

**TURTLETAUB:**

So apparently we’re back to filming again.  Luckily I only lost like, thirty grand out of the deal but I tell you, these damn Hollywoo actors, fuck ‘em --

 **[CUT TO: INT. SOUNDSTAGE MAKE-SHIFT OFFICE w/ JANNINGS behind desk]**  

**JANNINGS:**

Yeah, I don’t know _what_ the fuck happened, but BoJack came out of his trailer the following day and apologized to everyone, including the crew members he’d insulted over the course of his time on set.  Something about that character consultant - said he’d talked to her about things and realized the error of his ways.  [shrugs] 

**LEWIS [O.C.]:**

Diane Nguyen? 

**JANNINGS:**

Yeah, apparently BoJack has a hard-on for her or something - I dunno.  In any case, I want to give her a fucking raise, because she’s the only one that’s managed to get that piece of shit back to work and working harder than he’s worked in days.  I can’t … [JANNINGS shakes head.]  Well.  I don’t know. 

**[CUT TO:  INT. SOUNDSTAGE w/ NGUYEN in set chair]**

[NGUYEN shrugs] 

 **NGUYEN:**  

I just … told him something he really needed to hear.   

 **[CUT TO:  FOOTAGE OF PEANUTBUTTER AND JELLY, COURTESY OF E! NETWORKS, INT. MR. PEANUTBUTTER’S HOUSE w. PEANUTBUTTER standing in kitchen]**  

 **PEANUTBUTTER:**  

What?  What is this?   

 **COURIER** :

May I?   

[COURIER gestures to envelope.  PEANUTBUTTER nods.  He opens the thick envelope.] 

**COURIER:**

It’s a divorce summons, from... your wife, Diane Nguyen.  She’s filing for divorce on grounds of irreconcilable differences. 

[PEANUTBUTTER howls loudly]

**PEANUTBUTTER:**

But … _how_?  Why?  We were - _perfect_ for each other!  Like, like… Peanut Butter and Carrots! 

\-   END OF TRANSCRIPT    -

  
  
  
  



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